Electric make-and-break device



Feb. 20, 1951 R, TUCKER 2,542,734

ELECTRIC MAKE-AND-BREAK DEVICE Filed April 19. 1947 F16 2 INVENToR.

905527- 7a2/rie Patented Feb. 20, 1951 i. 'i

UNITE/D STATES vPATENT.

OFFICE There have been various devices for the purpose above indicated but in some instances the interruptor must necessarily be combined inseparably with th-e transformer; in some if not all instances the interruptor must always occupy upright position; while in all prior instances, so far as I am aware, the devices are of a comparatively complicated and expensive nature and hence rather prohibitive.

It is therefore one object of my present invention to provide such an interruptor which may be depended upon to function in its normal manner and also in an efficient manner while occupying any position. Another object is to provide such an interruptor which may be used as a unit separate from the transformer or may be combined with the transformer.

A further object is to design` such an interruptor which may be readily installed by the user without any particular trouble or knowledge or skill and in which any p-art, as for instance the battery, may be renewed at any time necessary and with the same degree of convenience and economy.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of device;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of a part thereof, on line 2-2 Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a viewtak-en on line 3;-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of another form of my device; and` l Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a part thereof.

"According to my first form'of device, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2, there may be employed an inexpensive small size of battery I which is included in the electric circuit with the manuallyoperated switch 2 for closing and opening the same as may be desired. Within this circuit there is included also the unitary piece of equipment which may be here identified as an electric interruptor 3 and which is illustrated in its detailed construction in Figs. 2 and 3. This piece of equipment 3 has an electric terminal 4 connected in circuit with the battery I and switch 2 and with one side of the electric contact means 5, the other side of the contact means 5 having electric connection in this same circuit with the 2 a field coil 6 which, in turn, has electric connection with the other electric terminal 1. The parts of this unitary interruptor 3 are mounted within the housing 8 of suitable electric insulation material, which may be anchored in position by means of the bolt holes in the base thereof, these holes in the flanged base being indicated by reference numeral 9.

The unitary interruptor 3 is adapted and intended to be connected electrically to the primary circuit P of an electric transformer, this primary being arranged also in circuit with the battery I, as indicated in the drawing.` The secondary coil S of the transformer is grounded and is also connected to the stock fence which is to be charged. It is to be understood, of course, that the critter in the field will complete the circuit VVthrough the ground as it comes into contact with the wire of the fence, this being the usual arrangement in such devices.

Reverting now to the unitary interruptor 3, I will explain other details thereof. The two companion members of the electric contact means 5 are normally forced into disengaged position by means of the spring arm 5a upon which one of the contact members is mounted and with which the cam I0 is adapted to have operative engagement for closing the contact 5. The cam I0 is rotatably mounted upon the post II arranged axially within the housing 8 of the interruptor 3. A coil spring Illa engages about the hub of the cam I and has its other end anchored in the wall of the housing 8, the normal tendency of this spring being to turn the cam 10 in a clock-wise direction, as viewed in Fig. -3 of the drawing, so as to effect closing of the contact. lThe armature I2 is mounted upon the hub of thecam I0 and is adaptedv to effect a rotatable movement of the cam I0 in'accordance with the energi'zation and de=energization of the4 armature. When the circuit 'including the eld coil 6 is closed inthe regular operation of the device, the armaturey ,I2 will bey caused to turn counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3 hereof, so as to register with its polepiece I2a and thereby permit the spring arm 5a to effect opening of the contact 5 upon moving the cam I 0 out of engagement therewith. Whether the cam I0 is actually moved entirely out of engagement with the arm 5a, it is moved sufliciently in the direction indicated to permit opening of the contact 5 for the purpose stated. Such opening of contact 5 will break at once the electric circuit so as to de-energize the eld coil 6 and release the rotatable armature I 2 to the influence of the coil spring Ia which returns the cam ID and the armature I2 to the position in which cam III closes the contact 5, whereupon the same operation may repeat itself.

The armature I2 is provided with a stop pin I3 which is adapted to engage the block of the terminal 4, although the inertia of the rotatable parts may be so nearly balanced with respect to the force of the spring as to render such a stop means practically unnecessary for limiting the return movement of the armature I2. This stop means will serve to determine and maintain the initial position of the armature before the device is set into operation.

It is to be understood that, as long as the circuit is closed by the hand switch 2, the interruptor 3 will continue to operate in; the`- manner above stated, so as to effect a make-and-break of the current through the circuit. That is, assuming that the armature I2 is at rest, as indicated in FigLS hereof, the cam I* holds the contact 5 in 'closed position. Under such conditions, the' circuit is completely closed through the field coil 5 andl the magnetic impulse thereof causes the 'armature I2 to rotate counter-clockwise against the impulse of the spring Illa. Suchk rotation of :the: armature I2 is accompanied also by like'rotative movement of the cam ID, with the result that the Contact 5 is opened and the circuitis thereby broken. Thereupon, the armature I2v and cam I2 are released tothe influenceof the spring Illa Vwhich returns the parts to the position` indicated in Fig.V 3 hereof'. The torsionI spring Illa is of such tension that it. will allorir propertime. interval to elapse during thev rotative movement of the armature; I2 in c'oLmter-clockwise direction; and, likewise, the same: relation between thel weight ofthe armature I:2 and the-tension of the spring Ilia will determine. the time interval' required for the return of the armature I2i to its original position indicated in Fig. 3l hereof.

In the first form of device; as above described and'in'dioated in Figs. 1 and-2 hereof, the field coil 6 is entirely' separate from the transformer, the unit 3 being connected to the primary P- cf the transformer in the usual manner. I will now refer to another form of my invention inv which thef field coil may serve also` as the primary of the transformer, as illustrated in Figs. 4 andv 5 hereof. In this modied form of device, the unitary interrupter 3 includes also the transformer within the same housing 8'; but, as above explained, the field coil serves also as the primary winding of the transformer. As a result of this modified arrang nient, the` fieldV coil and the transformer windingsV together comprise'only two coils instead of the' three coilsY required in the rst` arrangement above described. In this second form of device, the several. parts thereof are indicated by reference* characters corresponding to thosel employed. to indicate the corresponding` parts in the rst form of device. For' instance, whereas the electricA contact is indicated by reference numeral 5 in the rst form of device; it is indicated by reference numeral 5 in the second form of device. Whereas the primary coil of the transformer is indicated by reference letter P in the first form of device, reference character P6 in the second form of device indicates the coil which serves both as the field coil and the primary coil of the transformer; and the secondary of the transformer, in the second form of device, is indicated by reference letter S.

One important and practical feature of my present invention is its` comparative simplicity and its correspondinglyv low cost. The unitary form of interruptor may be easily handled and installed and it is not necessary for it to assume upright position in order for it to operate in the manner intended. This is true of both forms of my present invention, regardless of whether the interruptor is entirely separate from the transformer as in the first form of device, or is merged therewith as in the second form of device. The unitary interruptor, in either form of device, may bev located at any point desired; and the entire system which embodies my present invention as part thereof, may be operated in a dependable and eicient manner without any particular attention being required in either the installation orv the upkeep thereof.

What I claim is:

An electric circuit making and breaking device comprising a single annular form of electric coil serving' to provide a magnetic field and serving also' as the primary coil of an electric transformer, an electric switch in circuit with said coil for controlling the current therethrough, spring means tending normally to close said switch, an armature' rotatably and concentrically mounted in operative relation to said coil and havingrotat' ably-actuated means for opening' said switch against said spring, said parts being sov constructed and arranged that the energization of said coil will actuate said armature in a rotatable manner so as to thereby eliect temporary opening of said switch and the de-energization of said coil, and an electricV coil concentrically arranged with respectto the aforesaid annular form of coil so as to constitute therewith the secondary coil of an electric transformer, and a housing enclosing all of said parts so as to thereby constitute a unitary and compact form of device.

ROBERT TUCKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 544,266 Tatham Aug. 6, 1895 869,599 Thompson Oct. 29, 1907 1,114,225 Cakusac Oct.V 20, 1914 1,576,236 Czikan Mar. 9, 1926 1,767,104 Volkman et al. June 24, 1930 2,146,229 Riepl Feb. 7, 1939 2,292,775 Shattack Aug. 11, 1942 2,316,211 Agnew Apr. 13, 1943 2,407,744 Herman Sept. 17, 1946 

